British Poker Players
How To Play Online Poker
Poker can be a great game to play simply for fun with your friends or on-line However, while most hobbies inevitably have a cost, poker is unusual in that it can also be used to make a profit. Which, in the UK, is tax free.
Most players will not win money, however someone who happens to be a break-even player, or even a loser at the tables, can actually turn a profit through carefully managing their rakeback and bonus arrangements.
To do so, there are a few simple steps to be observed, which should help you at very least break even, and ideally build your bankroll and allow you to move through the limits.
1. Set up your finance facilities.
2. Learn the basics of rules and strategy.
3. Find a site that will reward you for playing.
4. Practise with play money.
5. Play poker.
6. Chase bonuses.
7. Make use of the 'tools of the trade'.
8. Analyse your performance and improve your game.
9. Repeat steps 5 to 8
First things first. Before you start playing poker for money, get some sort of on-line wallet. Among the best known are Neteller, Click2Pay and Moneybookers.
The reason you need an on-line wallet will become apparent later.
When setting up an account be careful what currency option you choose. Some of the biggest sites still deal exclusively in US dollars, however more and more sites offer both UK pounds, and Euro, options. Transferring cash between sites in different currencies can incur wasteful transaction fees.
So if you live in the UK and plan to play on UK Pounds sites, go for base currency UK Pounds, if you plan to play on US Dollar sites, go for the dollar base currency. Similar thoughts apply to Euroland residents and Euros.
Deposit some cash in your on-line wallet, and off we go.
Before playing for real, at least learn the basics. Playing poker should be fun, maybe even rewarding. You don't need to view it as a charitable enterprise!
There are plenty sites which offer rule guides and tips. It's also worth reading at least one book.
Don't go for a heavyweight Sklansky book to start with. It will just confuse you, and probably make your head hurt. Try a simpler book to start with that will give you an idea of starting hands to play and the basics of concepts such as 'position'.
Next step is to choose a site to start playing on. This is where some research may be called for. Most sites offer some sort of sign up bonus. These can vary over time and will generally offer a bonus as a percentage of your deposit, to a maximum amount. For example 20% bonus to £100 would mean a £500 deposit is credited with a £100 bonus; £200 deposit is credited with £40 bonus. So, it makes sense to focus your financial fire-power on one site to maximise your initial bonus, then move onto the next when the bonus is earned, etc.
Generally bonuses have to be earned by playing a certain amount of hands, often at a certain level. So there's an overhead, but playing is the best way to learn!
Once you have worked off your first bonus, look elsewhere for new sites to sign up to so you can gain more bonuses. Always making sure you sign up with a rakeback arrangement. Once you have registered with a site it is not usually possibly to get rakeback retrospectively, so you MUST arrange it at the point you first apply.
This is where the on-line wallet becomes so useful. Most sites will only pay out to the mechanism by which you deposited money, up to the size of your initial deposit. If you deposited by credit card, they want to refund your credit card. They may wish to pay out anything beyond your initial deposit by a mailed cheque. This can be cumbersome and time consuming, and cost more in fees.
If you funded your poker account by, for example, Neteller, you can cash out all your money to Neteller. Thus Neteller becomes the central repository for your bankroll. Note that while deposits from Neteller to a poker site are instantaneous, cash outs can take some time to process. Anything from 24 hours to around 5 days.
It makes sense to keep the minimum you need deposited with a site, and the majority in Neteller - ready to chase those bonuses. Do not miss out on a great bonus offer which lasts only a few days, when most of your bankroll is stuck with another site.
Whichever site you settle on, try playing with Play Money first, to get the hang of the flow of the game, and understand the mechanics of the software. Don't play on these tables for too long. The play isn't properly representative of a real game and you will not learn a lot. So once you have the hang of the software, it's time to go to the real tables.
This is where the most important rule in the gambling world applies: DO NOT bet what you can't afford to lose.
If you have raised a £50 deposit, stick to the micro limit tables til you have built up some cash and experience. Even if you have a lot more cash, it's probably best to stick to the 10p/25p or 50p/£1 tables until you are sure you can play at a higher level.
Maintain a reserve for losing streaks. Even the best players have unlucky runs, so don't play at a limit where two bad sessions will leave you broke. Manchester United or Chelsea can still occasionally lose to Hull.
Once you have some experience, try to improve your game. You may want to read a book which goes into more detail on playing the low limits. Make sure you choose a book appropriate to your favoured game type. Do you play Single Table Tourneys (Sit'n'Gos), Multi Table Tourneys, or cash games?
Action junkies who play 6-max rather than full ring games can find specialist literature for their games.
What is your favoured poker variant? Most people start with No Limit Hold Em, as seen in many TV shows, but there are many other variants – Omaha, Stud, Razz, etc. - and Fixed or Pot Limit, as well as No Limit.
Be aware, not everyone plays the way the books advise. Some people play downright stupidly. While this can be frustrating in the short term, remember the more stupid players there are at your table, the more money you are likely to end the night with!
If you are sure you want to continue and improve your poker game, look into acquiring some 'tools of the trade'. This software will allow you to download hand histories, analyse and store the performance not only of you, but of all the players you compete against. Thus you can delve into your results, understand where you make and lose money, and track the style of other players.
After that, it's all a matter of playing, learning, and hopefully earning a few pounds extra, as well as having a lot of fun.
The following links may be useful to you.
Sites With Great Introductory Bonuses
On-line Wallets
Poker Software
Poker Books
http://tinyurl.com/britishpokerplayerbooks